During Arthroscopic, ENT, OB/GYN, Laparoscopic or any other surgical procedure, suction regulators are used to control the suction rate when removing bodily liquids or any other liquid which tends to collect in an area during a surgical procedure. The suction regulator device is connected in series with flexible tubing extending from a suction source, such as a hospital vacuum or suction canister, to a suction tip or any device needing control of suction. In many cases, it has been found that by installing a small suction regulator in series with the suction tip device, the flow in liters per minute can be regulated by letting a small amount of air into the tubing, therefore reducing the amount of suction force at the tip of the suction device.
One of the difficulties of constructing an effective control unit is to provide a passageway for liquid flow without reducing the diameter of the flow pathway. Liquids being drawn through the device frequently contain material that can block or clog the control unit. As a result, units of this type have heretofore provided large passageways which will not likely become obstructed even by a valve or even by a change in the direction of fluid flow.
One type of suction control device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,175. The suction flow rate is regulated by positioning the operator's finger over an air intake. This type of device controls the air being drawn into the suction tube and, therefore, controls the rate of suction through the suction tube. This device does not, however, control the flow if the operator is absent or if the air intake is not closed off by the operator's finger. In other words, when the operator is not present, the suction rate falls to zero.
Another type of suction control device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,823. The suction flow rate is controlled in a manner similar to the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,175 but it cannot regulate the suction force over a wide and controlled range.
A still further suction regulator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,712. In this device, the suction rate is regulated by screwing a plunger into an opening to shut off or open up the air flow to thereby regulate the suction rate.
None of the aforesaid devices, including an Arthrex Model AR-6600 suction regulator, is capable of linearly controlling the suction rate so as to enable the user thereof to manipulate and control the suction force at the device needing suction control, such as a suction tip device used in surgical procedures. This becomes important during surgical procedures where the surgeon is desirous of having liquid or loose tissue removed from delicate regions where it is necessary to increase the suction rate ever so gradually so as not to disturb the surrounding area of the surgical site.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a suction regulator having an elongated hollow body which has therein an elongated slot in the wall thereof which is of an asymmetrical configuration so that when a gate member slides with respect thereto to either open or close off a portion of the slot, the suction rate at a distal end of the suction regulator is controlled in a linear manner.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a suction regulator, as aforesaid, wherein the elongated slot includes converging side walls extending over a majority of the length of the slot and from a wide end to a narrow end in an axial direction of the hollow body so that when the gate member slides with respect thereto, portions of the slot will be covered so as to effect the aforesaid linear control of the suction rate.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a suction regulator, as aforesaid, wherein the converging side walls are straight over a majority of the length of the slot.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a suction regulator, as aforesaid, wherein a guide structure is provided for facilitating a tactile indexing of the gate member to selected positions whereat the gate member is yieldably held until a manual force applied by the user occurs to cause the gate member to move with respect to the hollow body.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a suction regulator, as aforesaid, wherein the components are made of a metal or synthetic resin material and, if of a synthetic resin material, by an injection molding process.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a suction regulator, as aforesaid, wherein the side wall are smooth and rounded so as to minimize air nose.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a suction regulator, as aforesaid, wherein the components can be quickly and easily assembled with a minimum of instruction.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a suction regulator, as aforesaid, wherein the suction regulator is of a durable construction and is reliably operable with a minimum of instruction and is maintenance free.